US5447554AExpiredUtility

Gas compression method and apparatus

30
Priority: Jan 3, 1994Filed: Jan 3, 1994Granted: Sep 5, 1995
Est. expiryJan 3, 2014(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:C. Edward Eckert
B01D 19/0068B01D 19/00
30
PatentIndex Score
1
Cited by
11
References
35
Claims

Abstract

A method for pressurizing a gas using a liquid. The method comprises providing a liquid pump; providing a liquid for introducing to the liquid pump; introducing a gas to the liquid prior to the liquid entering the liquid pump; pumping the liquid and the gas through the liquid pump to provide a compressed mixture of the liquid and gas having an increased pressure; thereafter separating the gas from the liquid while both liquid and gas are under pressure; reducing the pressure of the liquid after the separation; and recirculating the liquid back to the liquid pump.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for pressurizing a gas using a liquid, the method comprising: (a) providing a liquid pumping means;   (b) providing a liquid for introducing to said liquid pumping means;   (c) introducing a gas to said liquid prior to said liquid entering said liquid pumping means;   (d) pumping said liquid and said gas through said liquid pumping means to provide a compressed mixture of said liquid and gas having a higher pressure than the liquid prior to said liquid entering said liquid pumping means; and   (e) thereafter separating said gas from said liquid while both liquid and gas are under said higher pressure.   
     
     
       2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein after pumping the pressure of said mixture is in the range of 100 to 10,000 psig. 
     
     
       3. The method in accordance with claim 1 including cooling said compressed mixture prior to separating said gas from said liquid and after said liquid and gas have passed through said pumping means. 
     
     
       4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said liquid is substantially inert with respect to said gas. 
     
     
       5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said liquid is liquid silicone. 
     
     
       6. The method in accordance with claim 1 including reducing the pressure of said liquid after separating said liquid from said gas, said pressure of said liquid is reduced to a pressure ratio in the range of 10:1 to 1000:1. 
     
     
       7. The method in accordance with claim 1 including reducing the pressure of said liquid after separating said liquid from said gas, said pressure of said liquid is reduced to a pressure of less than one atmosphere. 
     
     
       8. The method in accordance with claim 1 including reducing the pressure of said liquid after separating said liquid from said gas, said pressure of said liquid is reduced to a pressure in the range of 50 to 600 mm Hg (absolute). 
     
     
       9. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the temperature of the mixture prior to separation is maintained in the range of 150° to 750° F. 
     
     
       10. The method in accordance with claim 1 including reducing the pressure of said liquid after said separating and recirculating said liquid back to said pumping means. 
     
     
       11. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the gas is natural gas. 
     
     
       12. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the liquid pumping means is a rotary pump. 
     
     
       13. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gas separated from said liquid is maintained at a pressure in the range of 500 to 6000 psig. 
     
     
       14. A method for pressurizing a gas using a liquid, the method comprising: (a) providing a liquid pumping means;   (b) providing a liquid for introducing to said liquid pumping means, said liquid being maintained at a pressure of less than one atmosphere;   (c) introducing a gas to said liquid prior to said liquid entering said liquid pumping means;   (d) pumping said liquid and said gas through said liquid pumping means to provide a liquid and gas mixture having a pressure in the range of 1000 to 6000 psig;   (e) cooling said mixture to a temperature in the range of 150° to 750° F.;   (f) thereafter separating said gas from said liquid to provide a gas having a pressure in the range of 1000 to 6000 psig;   (g) reducing said pressure of said liquid after said separation to less than one atmosphere; and   (h) recirculating said liquid back to said liquid pumping means.   
     
     
       15. A liquid recirculating method for pressurizing a gas, the method comprising: (a) providing a low pressure liquid stream;   (b) providing a high pressure liquid stream;   (c) circulating said liquid from said low pressure liquid stream to said high pressure liquid stream wherein said low pressure stream is connected to means for pressurizing and transfering said liquid to said high pressure stream;   (d) transferring said liquid from said high pressure liquid stream to said low pressure liquid stream through a pressure reducing means;   (e) introducing gas to be pressurized to said low pressure stream to provide a mixture that is compressed in said high pressure stream; and   (f) separating pressurized gas from said liquid in said high pressure stream.   
     
     
       16. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the pressure in the high pressure stream is in the range of 100 to 10,000 psig. 
     
     
       17. The method in accordance with claim 15 including the step of cooling said compressed mixture in said high pressure stream prior to separating said gas from said liquid. 
     
     
       18. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said liquid is substantially inert with respect to said gas. 
     
     
       19. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said liquid is liquid silicone. 
     
     
       20. The method in accordance with claim 15 including reducing the pressure of said liquid after separating said liquid from said gas, said pressure of said liquid is reduced to a pressure ratio in the range of 10:1 to 1000:1. 
     
     
       21. The method in accordance with claim 15 including reducing the pressure of said liquid after separating said liquid from said gas, said pressure of said liquid is reduced to a pressure of less than one atmosphere. 
     
     
       22. The method in accordance with claim 15 including reducing the pressure of said liquid after separating said liquid from said gas, said pressure of said liquid is reduced to a pressure in the range of 50 to 600 mm Hg (absolute). 
     
     
       23. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the temperature of the mixture prior to separation is maintained in the range of 150° to 750° F. 
     
     
       24. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the liquid is maintained at a temperature in the range of 200° to 450° F. after separating from said gas. 
     
     
       25. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the gas is natural gas. 
     
     
       26. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the means for pressurizing and transferring is a rotary pump. 
     
     
       27. The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said gas separated from said liquid is maintained at a pressure in the range of 100 to 10,000 psig. 
     
     
       28. A liquid recirculating system for pressurizing gas, the system comprising: (a) a low pressure liquid stream;   (b) a high pressure liquid stream;   (c) a pump means positioned between said streams for transferring liquid from said low pressure liquid stream to said high pressure liquid stream;   (d) a pressure reducing means for reducing pressure of liquid flowing from said high pressure liquid stream to said low pressure liquid stream;   (e) means for introducing gas to said low pressure stream; and   (f) means for separating gas from liquid in said high pressure stream.   
     
     
       29. The recirculating system in accordance with claim 28 including means for cooling said high pressure stream prior to separating gas from said liquid. 
     
     
       30. The recirculating system in accordance with claim 28 wherein said pressure reducing means comprises a pump. 
     
     
       31. The recirculating system in accordance with claim 28 wherein said pressure reducing means comprises a pump utilized to pressurized gas being added to said low pressure stream. 
     
     
       32. The recirculating system in accordance with claim 28 wherein said liquid is liquid silicone. 
     
     
       33. The recirculating system in accordance with claim 28 wherein said pump is a rotary pump. 
     
     
       34. The recirculating system in accordance with claim 28 wherein said pressure reducing means is a nozzle. 
     
     
       35. The recirculating system in accordance with claim 28 wherein said pressure reducing means is a pressure regulating valve.

Join the waitlist — get patent alerts

Track US5447554A — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.

We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.